For me red lipstick is like chocolate, I know it’s not good for me but I just can’t resist, but in Hot Stuff I think I’ve finally found my perfect red! Blue toned reds don’t suit me, I find they drain the colour from my face. Coral reds and pinkish reds work better on my skin tone. This, I’d describe as a very flattering cherry red. It’s rich, highly pigmented and fairly opaque. The forumla is easy to apply, slides on, a little waxy and very lightweight. The finish is a classic shine, but not sticky or glossy.

Pink Posey

Purples and Plums are so hot right now! Pink Posey is a very wearable pinky purple. It’s bright and bold and my new party season go-to. Like before it’s rich, highly pigmented and fairly opaque. The forumla is easy to apply, slides on, is a little waxy and very lightweight. The only drawback is it doesn’t have the staying power of regular formulas, but it’s a good excuse to whip it out and reapply.

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Another new kid on the block! LOOK Magazine announced last week that they are launching their first beauty range. I think this is a brilliant idea and I’m surprised someone hasn’t beaten them to it. I picked up a few samples at the show last month and wanted to share my pics, and thoughts.

It’s a pretty comprehensive range with everything you’d expect – foundations, primers, blushers and more. For me the stand out product is the Double Hit Lip – lipstick at one end and gloss at the other. The shade I received is an orangey coral, which looks quite scary but is actually quite sheer.

The texture of the lipstick is nice, more like a balm and the lipgloss smells divine. These were used to achieve the very on trend bold pouts at the recent LOOK catwalk show (see the pics here). I’d be keen to try the red for a buildable crimson pout, with optional gloss finish.

As for the Statement Eyes shadows £4 each, again, not the best shades for me, but the textures are nice. Quite silky and satin-like.

I’d like to try their metallic shades – Lame and Luxe were used on the models in the show.

Other stand out products include the Ooomph Lashes mascara £7 and Holiday Glow highlighting Powder £8.

Available exclusively in Superdrug stores later this month. A donation from every product sold goes to cancer support charity Look Good… Feel Better.

When it comes to make up, Rosie knows what suits her and sticks to it – I love the simplicity of her make up. Her signature look centres around sultry smokey eyes and bronzed skin. Despite having the biggest and best lips in the business, Rosie doesn’t play up to them. I’d be tempted to colour in that pout all kinds of fuchsias and reds, but she keeps it simple with hues of nude and browny-pinks.

Here’s how to create the look.

Base

Her base is glowing and dewy. I’d imagine she starts off with a luminous primer like Clarin’s beauty flash balm then adds a subtle base colour, something like Chanel’s Vitalumiere Aqua foundation. With that flawless skin, I doubt she needs concealer, but a couple clicks of a highlighter or under eye concealer like YSL’s touché éclat will correct any dull areas – I think there’s evidence of some in the inner eye area – which works great to open and brighten the eye.

Cheeks

Not one for bright blushers, Rosie opts for bronzer and highlighter instead. Either she’s blessed with the most amazing cheekbones EVER or there’s some clever contouring going on here – I choose to believe it’s the later. Take a multi toned bronzing powder, something like Guerlain’s Terracota Four Seasonsand contour the natural lines around your cheeks, forehead and chin. A dab of liquid highlighter on the top of cheek bones would accentuate the tan and draw attention to the chizzled features. Finish with a light dusting of a peachy/pink powder blush to add a touch of colour to apples of the cheeks.

Eyes

Brows are full and combed slightly upwards, which I love. For the smokey eye Rosie opt for gold and bronzey brown eye shadows rather than the standard black and greys. An eye quad or a palette would work best to mix and match for the shade that suits. I have a great one by Frontcover that contains some gorgeous bronzey hues. The intensity of the smokey eye varies – smudge shadow along the lid and up to the crease, if you’re feeling adventurous, take it higher up to the brow bone. Smudge some shimmery brown or bronze under the lower lash line and in the inner eye. Work in a brown or black eye liner.

For some added va-va-voom, a small kitten flick created with a gel or liquid liner looks very sexy. Finish with lashings of mascara.

Lips

Let’s face it, lips like that don’t need much dressing up. A smudge of Vaseline and they’re good to go! They’re generally kept natural, I really don’t think she wears much lipstick – maybe just a hint of sheer colour, something like a nude or dirty rose. She’s more a lipbalm kinda girl.

WORD OF WARNING: Trying to recreate the look of one of the best looking women in the World, may lead to self esteem issues!

“I’m just popping to Boots”, fateful words if ever I heard them. I pop in for some shampoo and emerge an hour later… two bags heavier and twenty quid lighter. But, my conscience and my purse love it when there’s a good deal or two to be had.

Starting with a Ruby and Millie Duo Shadow. There’s currently a whopping 75% off all Ruby and Mille cosmetics and this smokey eye shadow in purple cost just £3.00. I’ve been looking for the perfect purple shadow for a while and this could be it. The duo consists of two halves: a cream blue base and a metallic purple powder. It’s a nice break from my usual grey smokey eye and works perfectly with green, hazel and blue eyes. The powder shadow has a velvety texture with an almost two-tone metallic finish, looks great when the light catches it.

I’m really loving Revlon right now. I think their lipglosses and nail polishes are top class, but that’s as far as I’ve ventured… until now. This Bronzer caught my eye because it had a giant £2 off sticker (£7.99 down to £5.99) but when I picked it up for further inspection I was very impressed by the colour and consistency. I’d describe it as a medium warm bronzer infused with subtle golden shimmer, for a luminous finish. The powder is fine and unlike other bronzers around that price point, it’s not too powdery and doesn’t leave a residue all over the compact, or your face.

I would compare it to cult classic Nars Laguna Bronzing powder, which I really like but is too prone to braking and crumbling…

Heavily swatched on my arm, Nars right, Revlon left.

A little lighter than laguna, but similar nonetheless. The compact is really handy too for popping in your bag, it includes a mirror and useless little brush (which will do in the pub toilets for that quick top up).

And for my last treat… After buying the shadow and bronzer I got one of those £5 off No7 vouchers, which I immediately redeemed against a cute nail polish I’ve had my eye on. Still feeling the Purple vibe, I plumped for a stay perfect nail polish in Vivid Violet. A glossy colour with a metallic finish, very 70s chic! This is what it looks like with two quick coats, when I do my full hand I think it will need three.

This palette has the WOW factor. A sucker for all things pretty, Givenchy’s Le Prisimissine Eyes in Acid Lights has got me drooling.

The limited edition palette offers nine knock out colours including turquoise, anise green, coral and Frappe coffee… Perfect for all you colour chameleons. It might look a little scary, but those pretty purples, greens and blues are very wearable. I must say, I’m slightly dubious about the Yellow, but never say never.

Created with spherical polymers, these shadows slip over lids like butter.

Acid brights were huge on the catwalk for Spring/Summer 2011. Go all out like Dior…

Or for something more subtle, smudge some colour into the inner corners of the eye to make them POP.

As the curtains close on Paris fashion week, it marks the end of the craziest, busiest, most manic weeks on the fashion calendar. Alas, the fashionistas can breathe a sigh of relief, done for another 6 months, well not quite, but the shows are. So amidst the drama what did those chic Parisians showcase as their top beauty trends for A/W11?

Pink Lips

Top of the agenda, and much to my delight is Pink. Oh I looooove pink. For so long we’ve been buzzing about corals, reds, burgundys, basically everything but pink. Back with a bang in Paris was medium, soft pretty pinks -think candy, salmon and pastel.

Nina Ricci stole the show with the prettiest pinks around.

New Season Eye

From the pretty to the powerful. We’ve seen this at each fashion week, which translates into.. this WILL be big next season and you MUST start wearing your eye shadow this way! I’m still not convinced I’ll be applying eyeshadow all the way to the brows anytime soon, but never say never.

Eyes were dramatic at, dare we say John Galiano.

And Chanel

Minimal

In a season full of brights and bolds it’s nice to see the return of the barely there make up look. Dewy skin, pale lips and strong brows were on the menu at McCartney and as we know where Stella leads, other follow. Pretty, ladylike beauty was the perfect contradiction to the masculine tailoring she showcased.

Pretty and feminine was also the trend du jour at Chanel and Chloe. Eyes were a little more dramatic, but the principle was the same – pretty, polishes and chic. What else would you expect?

Suprising audiences at Paris was….

Kate Moss walking for Louis Vuitton

And finally, stealing the show in Paris was…

GaGa, walking for Thierry Mugler in a collection that could have been made for her. Showing that what she lacks in height, she makes up in heels.

As New York fashion week closes, let’s take a quick, and I mean quick, look at the beauty looks set to rock our worlds in Autumn/Winter 11-12. I know it’s the way the fashion and beauty biz works, but I kinda resent having to think about winter before spring has even sprung. Still it can’t help to be in the know.

Eye shadow… EVERYWHERE

Under, over and all the way to the brow. Eeek, I’m not sure about this one?!? Reminds me of the eye shadows of yesteryear, it’s the look little girls create when first let loose in their mothers make up bag. More is more, according to Vera Wang, Philip Lim and Diane von Furstenberg (pictured). So when you get to the crease, just keep going!

Brown Lips

Another I’m not sure about, especially teamed with big, dark eyeshadow. When I was at school, the only lipsticks we had were brown/plumy ones (Rimmel’s Heather Shimmer anyone?) it didn’t look good then and I’m not convinced it will now, but who am I to disagree with Oscar de la Renta! Still brown lips, got to be more wearable than orange ones?

Crimson pout

Red lips, going nowhere fast, so don’t be afraid to invest in a good un, it’ll see you through to next year at least.

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Caked

I’m a self confessed make up addict. I love to try it, apply it, wearing it and buy it! If, like me, you love to test new products, experiment with trends, track down the best deals and stalk celebrity style, then you’ll love CAKED.